MALIBU—Anthony Rauda 43, became disruptive in court and had to be restrained after trying to fight with county deputies on Tuesday, March 31.
NBC Los Angeles first reported that Rauda during his trial attempted to defend himself without the presence of an attorney and became disruptive when the judge refused. He tried to attack a deputy and was subdued by officers.
Rauda was indicted in 2019 for the murder of Tristan Thomas Beaudette, 35, who was shot at the park while camping with his daughters. Rauda pled not guilty to the murder charges levied against him. Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo decided against the defenses’ request to dismiss the case. He is facing 10 other counts of murder and burglary charges that go back three years. He also faces several weapons-related offenses that go back to 2006.
There are several allegations against Rauda who is believed to have opened fire at campers and motorists. Four days before Beaudette’s death, Rauda allegedly shot into a Tesla on Las Virgenes Road. He wounded another man who was asleep in a hammock near the Malibu State Park location. Less than a week after he shot the man in the hammock, he opened gunfire in the sleeping area of a vehicle.
Beaudette was camping in a tent with his daughters at Malibu State Park in June 2018. He died from a single gunshot wound to the head at about 4:30 a.m. His daughters who were 2 and 4 at the time were not injured by the gunfire.
A statement by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department released shortly after Rauda’s arrest said:
“A concentrated effort by detectives to unearth the past activities of Rauda correlating with this investigation has revealed that he apparently acted alone during this identified crime spree, stretching from November 2016 to October 2018.”
According to reports, the LASD failed to notify the public about the shootings that transpired at the Malibu State Park location. Beaudette’s widow, Erica Wu and his family filed a lawsuit in the amount of against the LASD for failing to warn the public about the dangers lying in the region.
Rauda’s trial has been delayed until May 5. During earlier appearances in court he was restrained in a chair and forced to wear a shield on his face, to prevent him from spitting at officers and others in the courtroom.
If convicted as charged, the defendant could face life in prison.
Written By Anita Brown and Christianne McCormick
